Blank feeding and locating mechanism for punch presses



BLANK FEEDIN AND LOCATING MECHANISM FOR PUNCH PRESSES Filed Feb. 24, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 12, 1950 E A BRANDT 2,533,914

ATTORNEY E. A. BRANDT BLANK FEEDING AND LOCATING MECHANISM FOR PUNCH PRESSES Dec. 12, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 24, 1947 Dec. 12, 1950 2,533,914

E. A. BRANDT BLANK FEEDING AND LOCATING MECHANISM FOR PUNCH PRESSES 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 24. 1947 I/VVf/VTOR E A. BRA N07 ec. 12, 1950 E. A. BRANDT 2,533,914

BLANK FEEDING AND LOCATING MECHANISM FOR PUNCH PRESSES Filed Feb. 24, 1947 s Sheets-Sheet 4 /7 //v VENTO/F 5/4 fiRA/VDT Dec. 12, 1950 E. A. BRANDT BLANK FEEDING AND LOCATING MECHANISM FOR PUNCH PRESSES 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 24, 1947 ATTORNEY INVE/V 70/? 54.5mwr

i atented Dec. 12, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

BLANK r-nnnmcnnn tooA'rING neon-- ANISM Fon- PUNCH rnnssns Edward ArBrandt, Chicago, 111., assignor to West ernElectric Company, Incorporated,.New York.. N. Y a corporation of NewYork Application February 24, 1947,8erial No. 730;371-

'7: Claims. (01. 16487) This invention relates to blank feeding and.

locating mechanisms for punch presses and more particularly to" a step by step feeding. mechanism which is cam actuated by the reciprocation of the punch press ram;

Anobject of the-present. invention is to provide an improved'blank feeding and positioning mechanism for punch. presses.

In one? embodiment of the-inventionfor feeding and locating: cup-shaped articles; to: be perforated, to a. perforating, punch press, there is provided: a magazine including a guideway for receiving the articles: and guiding; them in a plw' determined path into: alignment with the perio'rating; punch and die of the punch press and a portion of: the guideway is slotted to receive a portion of: a feed wheelhaving radiating fingears and part locating pockets formed: in the periphery thereof and which wheel is indexed step by step to position the partsin axial alignment with the punch and die; The step by step rotation or indexing of the feed wheel is accomplished by a pair ofcam actuating members reciprocablev with the. ram, one of which actuating: members engages the feed wheelto advance therwheelone-halfa step as.- theram is raised and. the: other of which cam members acts to advance the: feed wheel the. secondhalf step dur-ing thefirst partof thedownwardmovement of the ram. A portion of: one side wall of the chute isyieldably'mounted to rock. about a pivot and may be-forced outwardly by an improperly positioned.- part' or blank forced thereagainst by a finger of the feed wheel and aids in freeing the piecepartfrom jamming. engagement with the. finger and in restoring the part to the chute without injury to the part.

The invention Willbe more fully understood from the following, description. when considered in connection with. the: accompanying; drawing illustrating the preferred embodiment of the inventionin which:

Fig. 1: is a vertical: lateral sectional view of the apparatus taken: centrallythrough the punch, die and. feed wheel: and; showing. the punch and die in closedposition;

Fig. 2 is a plant viewoi: the cup-shaped? article or piece part to be processed in: the? apparatus shown;

Fig. 3' is a: sectionalview of the. piece part taken on the line 33of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan sectional view of: the apparatus taken'on' the line 4-4" of Fig. 1. showing, in dotted lines, a star feed' wheel holding a piece part in: alignment. with: the punch. andi die;.

Fig. 5' is a. plan: sectional view taken on the line 55. of Fig. L withthe ram in-raisedposi tion showing the feed wheel in anintermediate position;

Fig; 6 is a fragmentary sectional viewtaken. on the line 6-5' ofFigab. showing, the parts. oi. the punch and die in. their. open or separated position;

Fig. 7 is.- a. detail; sectional view through oneof the actuating cams. and a portionoi. the feed wheel takenon the line 1-? of Fig. 6;.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional viewshowing the relation between another. cam actuator and therieed Wheel; takenron;the:1ine.8.-8. of Fig. (i;

Fig. 9- is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal. sectional view through a portionof. the apparatus and the guide: chute associated. therewith and showing a portion of thepunch and die in an; intermediate separate position Fig. 10 is a. fragmentary horizontal sectional view indicated. by the. line. 10-10 of Fig. 6 look-.- ing up and. showing a portion of the. punch holder and. associated parts mounted thereon; and

Fig. L1. isa fragmentary sectional view through the mechanism Showing; the punch: and die in. closed positionwith. a piece part therebetween and taken generally alongv theline III-41 of Fig. 10. V

The. punch. and die; mechanism illustrated herein isadapted to-perforate. thebottom ll of a cup-shaped. article [3. forming. a pair. of irregularly shaped perforationsv E l-A4 therein as indicated in. Figs. 21 and. 3.. lhe punch press mechanism for effecting this perforating operation comprises the. stationary die 16 (Figs. 1,5, 9 and 11) fixedtoa-die holder. ti mountedona bo1ster18 of. the punch'pressa The die ifidsproividedv witha pair of int-egular-ly shaped apertures 29 and cooperates. with.- a. pair oi: irregularly shaped punches: 22L secured. by: a retaining plate 22 to the punch. holder 23. The: punch holder 23, slidableon. a pair of: aligning; pins Eli-2 se cured intheidieholder. Iii, has-an. upwardly exatencling shank 25,.by,-mea-ns of-which the punch holder is removably: securedi to the ram 21- of the punch press. The press andithe: punch; and die construction: herein described and:v illustrated are of conventional: design and are disposeda at an angle of approximately; 45 to the; horizontal planev to facilitate theie'edin'g' of the: articles 13 to the press.

The mechanism for feeding. the. parts to; the press: includes a. gui'dieway 31b for. guiding the parts L3 in afstraight path across: the" face of the die IS. The guideway 36 comprises a bottom wall or plate 32 secured to the die holder l1, side walls 33 and 34, and a top wall or plate 35 and the plate 32 is formed to fit around a portion of the die l6 and has an article supporting surface 31 flush with the top surface of the die l6. At its forward end, the guideway is provided with a feed tray 39 for receiving a plurality of piece parts and the tray 39 has angularly disposed sides 46 for directing the piece parts into the rectangular aperture of the chute 30. The tray 39 and the guideway 36 form a magazine for handling a substantial number of piece parts at one time.

Urged downwardly by gravity, the parts l3, which are placed on the sloping tray, are directed by the side walls 46 into the guidewa 36 and, as they are guided in a straight path across the die IS, the parts are successively engaged by portions of an intermittently actuated feed wheel 42 to locate each part in a predetermined position relative to the punch and die prior to the perforating stroke of the punch. A portion of the star wheel or the feed wheel extends into cooperative relation with the interior of the guideway 36 through a slot 43 (Figs. 1, 4 and in the lower portion of the wall 34 and the feed wheel 42 is provided with oppositely directed hub portions 45 and 46 journalled in bearings formed in plates 49 and 56. The plate 56 is rigidly mounted on the die holder I1 and the plate 49 is secured in spaced relation thereon by a spacer member 52 and machine screws 53. Extending radially from the axis of the feed wheel are a number of fingers 55, the vertical surfaces of which merge with the curved surfaces 56 of the feed wheel to form a plurality of pockets 5! for receiving the 7 piece parts [3 therein.

The feed wheel 42 is adapted to be rotated step by step to engage and feed successive piece parts l3 to a predetermined position in alignment with the punch and die in timed relation with the reciprocation of the ram 21 of the punch press. In order to provide for a smoother working of the feed wheel 42 and to reduce the shock incident to the indexing thereof, the step by step indexing movement is accomplished in two parts or half steps, the first part or half step occurring during the upward movement of the ram,

and the second part or half step occurring during the downward movement of the ram.

A pair of cam actuators 59 and 66 (Fig. 6), mounted for reciprocation with the punch holder 23, cooperate with the cam surfaces 62-62 formed on the edges of a plurality of apertures 63 in the feed wheel 42 for advancing the feed wheel through two half-step indexing movements for each reciprocation of the ram. The cam member 59 extends upwardly from and is carried by a laterally extending arm 65 formed on the lower end of a rod 66 passing through a central aperture in the feed wheel. The upper end of the rod extends through an aperture 61 in the punch holder 23 and threadedly engages a nut 68 thereon, which is clamped between a shoulder 69, formed in the aperture 61, and a threaded annular member 16 secured in the upper end of the aperture. The nut 68, after the cam member 59 has been adjusted to its proper position axially of the rod 66, is locked in adjusted position by a set screw 12 (Fig. 1). The cam member 66 is secured to and extends downwardly from the underneath side of the punch holder 23. Clearance holes l3, l4 and 15 are provided to accommodate the reciprocation of the cam 4 members 59, 66 and the lateral supporting arm 65, respectively.

The actuators 59 and 66 are provided, respectively, with inclined camming surfaces 18 and 19 and cylindrical shank portions 86 and 8| and are arranged relative to the apertures 63 of the feed wheel so that as they are reciprocated with the ram, they alternately engage the feed wheel and advance it a half-step at a time, the shank portions entering the apertures 63 in the wheel serve to lock it against movement during the interval of dwell. With the ram in its raised position, as shown in Fig. 6, the actuator 59 is in its raised position, fitting within an aperture 63 of the feed wheel and holding it in this position against movement after having advanced it onehalf step in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 5. Several of the piece parts l3 will assume the relationship relative to the feed wheel, as illustrated in Fig. 5, in which intermediate position of the wheel none of the piece parts is aligned with the die. On the downward movement of the ram, as the actuator 59 leaves one of the recesses 63 in the feed wheel 42, the end of the cam surface 19 of the actuator 66 engages a cam edge 62 in its path and rotates the feed wheel through one-half step to complete the indexing of the feed wheel and thus align the piece part 12 with the axis of the punch and die, as indicated in Fig. 4. This final indexing of the feed wheel 42 to properly position the part in alignment with the die is accomplished during the first portion of the downward movement of the ram so that the part has come to rest and is properl positioned before the punch has been lowered to the level of the part, and the feed wheel is maintained in this position by the shank portion 8| of the actuator 66 engaging in an aperture 63.

In order to more accurately locate the part with respect to the punch and die, there is provided a plurality of gage pins -85, mounted for reciprocation with the ram and adapted to engage the outer periphery of the cup-shaped article 13 on the downward movement of the ram. The pins 85 extend downwardly from a stripper member 8! slidably mounted on a pair of aligning pins 88 and 66 (Fig. 1). Also extending downwardly from the stripper plate 81 is a portion 89, which is adapted, upon downward movement of the stripper, to pass through an aperture 9| in the plate 35 of the guideway 36 and engage the bottom wall l2 of a cup-shaped article [3 (Fig. l). The stripper plate 87 and the projecting portion 89 are apertured to slidingl receive the punches 2| and are secured to the punch holder 23 by a pluralit of headed rods 93 secured to the stripper member and slidingly engaging in shouldered recesses 94 in the punch holder, which construction permits a limited movement of the stripper relative to the punch holder. The stripper 87 is yieldingly urged downwardly by a spring 9'! mounted in the shank 25 of the stripper plate, the spring reacting against the plug 96 to urge a plunger 99 downwardly and transmit its force to the stripper plate 81 through a plurality of pusher pins I66 slidably mounted in recesses in the die holder 23 and the retaining member 22.

To facilitate the movement of piece parts l3 into and out of the pockets 51 of the feed wheel 42, the end surfaces I62 of the arms 55 are obliquely formed, as indicated in Figs. 4 and 5. Thus, the parts, as the feed wheel 42 rotates, are guided freely into the pockets 51 of the feed wheel prior to their being perforated and, after being perforated}- the parts are freely" released positioned so as tobecome wedged between an arm 55 of the reed wheel and the" wall 3-3of t guideway, the sectionmil would yield" to the pressure of 'the-part' against it and a id in' freeing. tliepart from the-end of thea rm wand restore it to itsnormal position in theguideway-tt'' From the foregoing description," it will beseerr that a simplified'feedin'g and positionmg mecha nism has been provided in whichthepiece parts areguided in a predetermined pathacross 'the die and are successively engaged a'nd positioned in'alignment-with the punch and die-by a-star shaped feed wheel indexed step 'by step bv a pair of cam actuators movable with the rani' to rotate the-wheelone half 'step on the upward movement of the ram and one-half step on the downward movement of'the ram-and that the guideway has a yieldabl'e sectionwhich serves to? release an improperly positioned: part wedged between the feed wheel and-the guide-way.

What is claimed is:

1. Ina press having a pair of relatively-movable tools-and toolholders therefor; the combination of a guideway-supportedbyone of"said' tool holders for guiding a blankin apredetermined path relative to thetools, a-feedwheel'rotatable step by step-supportedbysaid'one toolholder and having a plurality of -radially'disposetffirigers cooperatingwith said guide member for 'moving and positioning successive" blanks longitudinally of the guideway to locate the blanks in a predetermined position with respect to said tol,'a cam member carried by the other of said tool holders for actuating said feed wheel through one-half step during the relative receding movement of said tool holders, and another cam member carried by said other tool holder for actuating said feed wheel the other half step during the relative advancing movement of the tool holders.

2. In a press having a tool for processing articles and a reciprocable ram for actuating said tool, the combination of a guideway for guiding the articles in a predetermined path of travel relative to said tool, an intermittently rotatable star Wheel cooperating with said guideway for moving and positioning successive articles therein to locate the articles in a predetermined position relative to the tool, cam means carried by the ram to partially index the star wheel on the upstroke of the ram, another cam means on the ram for completing the indexing of the star wheel on the downstroke of the ram, and means for locking the star wheel against movement during the intervals between movements thereof.

3. In a press having a tool for processing articles and a reciprocable ram for actuating said tool, the combination of a guideway for guiding the articles in a predetermined path of travel relative to said tool, an intermittently rotatable star wheel positioned adjacent said guideway and having a plurality of radiating arms movable into 6% cessive articles: iir said; guidewey to: locate-nine: articles in a} predetermined position relative to the tool, cammeans" carried by the ram to par tially' indexthe star wheelon=the upstroke of i tlie'ram another cam mean's on the i"ani foicom-- pleti-ng the indexing of the starwheel: on the downstroke of the ram, means'ior locking the star: wheel-againstmovement during theintervals be-- tween movements thereof, a yieldablewall seo t'ion' in sai'd guideway adjacent said: star wheel:

movable from normal positionby an improperly positioned part urged against: the yieldable wall: section by the star wheel,- and resilient means for returning" said yieldable: Wall section to itsnormal--position.--

4; m: a machine having a" stationary toolmem beranda reciprocable tool member for processing: parts,v a magazine mounted in a 'fixed relationwit-nre'spect to saidstationar-y tool member-for receiving and guiding the-parts in='a' "predeter mined path: relative to the toolmembers, an in termittently' rotatable star wheel associated withthe magazine for movin and positioning successive parts insaid magazine tolocate the parts' m predeterminedrelation to said tool members;

a-pluralit'v of recessesin said wheel, a plurality of cam surfaces on said wheel, a first actuator connected-for reciprocation with said reciprocable tool member and having a cam surface thereon engageable with the camsurfaces of said wheel to partially index said wheel on the receding, movement of said movable tool member and hav mg a portion engageable in said recesses to prevent; rotation oi' said wheel during the interval or dwell; and a? second actuator connected for reciprocation with said reciprocable tool member and having a cam surface engageable with the} cam surfaces of saidwheel to complete the indexing of said wheel" on the advancing move ment: of said movable tool member and having aportion engageable insaid recesses toprevent rotation of said wheel during the interval of dwell:

5. In a machine having a stationary tool member and a reciprocable tool member for processing piece parts, the combination of a magazine mounted in a fixed relation with respect to said stationary tool member for receiving and guiding parts in a predetermined path relative to the tool members, an intermittently rotatable star wheel associated with the magazine and having a plurality of radial arms movable into the magazine for moving and positioning successive parts therein to locate the parts in predetermined relation to said tool members, a plurality of recesses in said Wheel, a plurality of cam surfaces on said wheel, a first actuator connected for reciprocation with said reciprocable tool member and having a cam surface thereon engageable with the cam surfaces of said wheel to partially index said wheel on the receding movement of said movable tool member and having a portion engageable in said recesses to prevent rotation of said wheel during the interval of dwell, a second actuator connected for reciprocation with said reciprocable tool member and having a cam surface engageable with the cam surfaces of said wheel to complete the indexing of said wheel on the advancing movement of said movable tool member and having a portion engageable in said recesses to prevent rotation of said wheel during the interval of dwell, said magazine having a pivoted wall portion therein adjacent said feed wheel movable from a normal said guideway for moving and positioning suc- 7 position by an improperly positioned part urged 7 against the pivoted wall portion by the feed wheel, and means for yieldably retaining said pivoted portion in normal position. 6. In a press having a reciprocatory ram an a processing tool comprising a stationary die holder and a punch holder movable with said ram, the combination of a. guideway mounted on the stationary die holder for guiding articles in a predetermined path relative to the tool, a centrally apertured feed wheel mounted on said stationary die holder for intermittent rotation and having a plurality of radially disposed fingers cooperating with said guide member for engaging and positioning successive blanks therein to locate the blanks in a predetermined position relative to the tool, a plurality of cam surfaces on the upper face of said wheel, a plurality of cam surfaces on the lower face of said wheel, a rod mounted on said reciprocable punch holder in coaxial alignment with and extending through the aperture in said wheel, a laterally projecting arm on the lower end of said rod, an upwardly extending cam member carried by said arm engageable with the cam surfaces on the lower side of said wheel for paror tially indexing said wheel on the upstroke of said ram, and a downwardly extending cam member mounted on said reciprocable tool holder engageable with the camming surfaces on the upper side of said wheel to complete the indexing movement of said wheel on the downstroke of the ram.

7. In a, press having a tool for processing articles and a reciprocatory ram for actuating said tool, a guideway for guiding the articles in a predetermined path of travel relative to said tool, an intermittently rotatable star wheel cooperating with said guideway for engaging and positioning successive articles therein to locate the articles in a predetermined position relative to the tool, means for mounting said guideway and said intermittently rotatable wheel in fixed position on said press, said wheel having an axially disposed aperture, a plurality of sur faces extending transversely between the opposite faces of said wheel, cam edges on the upper portion of said transverse surfaces, cam edges on the lower portion of said transverse surfaces, a rod movable with and extending downwardly from said ram through the axial aperture in said wheel, a laterally projecting arm on the lower end of said rod, an upwardly extending cam member carried by said arm engageable with the cam edges on the lower side of said wheel for partially indexing said wheel on the upstroke of the ram, a surface on said cam member parallel with the path of movement of said ram and engageable with said transverse surface on said wheel for locking said wheel against rotation, a cam member movable with and extend-' ing downwardly from said ram engageable with the upper cam edges of said wheel to complete the indexing movement of said wheel on the downstroke of said ram, a surface on said downwardly extending cam member parallel with the path of movement of said ram and engageable with said transverse surfaces on said wheel for locking said wheel against rotation, and means for securing said rod and said downwardly extending cam member to said ram.

EDWARD A. BRANDT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record ln'the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 277,849 Park May 16, 1883 1,028,652 Wurzburg June 4, 1912 1,439,620 Elgy Dec. 19, 1922 1,828,324 Kruse Oct. 20, 1931 1,987,209 Peyser Jan. 8, 1935 2,319,232 Holmes May 18, 1943 2,387,211 Barnby Oct. 16, 1945 2,390,600 MacPheat Dec. 11, 1945 

